Friction-operated package coding devices



April 29, 1958 A. J. FARKAS 2,832,284

FRICTION-OPERATED PACKAGE CODING DEVICES Filed Jan. 17, 1956 INVEN TOR.ALFRED 1/ flm ms 1/16 ATTflRNEYs United Stats FRICTION-OPERATED PACKAGECODING DEVICES Alfred J. Farkas, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 17, 1956, Serial No. 559,569

2 Claims. (Cl. 101-411) the stamping unit thereof which comprises aplurality of continuous, elastic ribbons having raised indicia thereonfor printing or stamping dates or codes upon packages, together withmeans for rotating each ribbon independently, is incorporated in thestructure of such device in a manner such that great inconvenience andunnecessary 3 labor is required to remove the stamping unit for repairor replacement purposes. To repair or replace such stamping unit, ofwhich there may be a plurality, it is necessary to practicallydisassemble the entire device to expose the stamping units for removalas well as replacement.

My invention has for one of its important objects the provision of asimple and inexpensive arrangement whereby each stamping unit may bequickly and easily removed and replaced without disassembling any partof the device and without the necessity of the use of any toolswhatsoever. The advantages of such arrangement will be ap preciated whenit is considered that frequently in use the indicia-bearing ribbonsbecome worn or cracked or worn to a state where they eventually break.In devices prior to the advent of my invention, it is necessary in orderto remove the stamping unit to call upon a mechanic, requiringconsiderable labor and skill on his part as well as the use of tools, todisassemble the device to expose the stamping unit for removal andreplacement. My invention eliminates such labor.

Another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement forstabilizing the stamping unit carrying disc during its rotation by theengagement of traction discs positioned on opposite sides of thestamping unit carrying disc, with the moving packages to rotate thedevice to successively bring the stamping units into printing engagementwith the packages. By such arrangement, blurring of the indicia stampedor printed upon the packages by the device is eliminated. By reason ofthe inherent nature of my improved construction, the type of thestamping units will be properly positioned with respect to theperipheral edge of the stamping unit supporting disc, with the type ofeach unit projecting the same radial distance from the long axis of suchdisc, thereby to assure uniform printing by each stamping unit upon themoving packages engaged by the type.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and the accompanying drawings showing thepreferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved package coding deviceshowing the same mounted in relation to a row of moving packages;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the stamping unit assembly embodiedin my invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the stamping units embodied in myinvention;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the stamping unit supporting disc.

The present invention constitutes an improvement over that disclosed inmy pending application, Serial No. 535,166 filed September 19, 1955 forLetters Patent on friction-operated package coding devices.

As shown in my prior application above referred to and as shown in Fig.1 of the drawings of this application, lltl indicates a platform or bedwhich supports a traveling belt 11 or the like, which belt supports thepackages 13 to be moved along the platform 10, the belt having suitablefollowers 14 or the like engaging each of the packages 13 to impart acontinuous movement to such packages.

My improved package coding device is indicated generally at 15 (Fig. 1).It comprises an enclosure 16 within which is arranged upon a shaft 1'7an inking roller similar to that shown in my prior applicationhereinbefore referred to. Such inking roller is not shown in thispresent application as it constitutes no part of the present invention.The enclosure 16 is supported by side plates 18 spaced from each otherby suitable spacing bolts 19. The side plates 13 at corresponding endportions 20 are connected in any suitable manner for movement about arod 21. By a clamping device 22 similar to that shown in my priorapplication, such rod 21 is adjustably mounted on a post 23 in turnadjustably connected as at 24 to the underside of the platform 10.

Thecorresponding end portions of the plates 25 have parallel slots 26formed therein in which the end portions of a shaft 27 are adjustablypositioned and secured in an adjusted position with respect to theenclosure 16 by clamping nuts 27. On this shaft 27 is mounted thestamping assembly indicated generally in Fig. l at 28. This stampingassembly or stamping wheel comprises a circular stamp unit carryingplate 29 mounted on the shaft 2'7 for rotation relative thereto. Onopposite sides of the plate 29 and in spaced relation with respectthereto are traction discs 30. These discs 30 by means of bolts 31 arefixedly connected to the plate 29 for rotation therewith. These tractiondiscs 30 have their peripheral edges 32 knurled to assure a tractiongrip with the adjacent top surface of the packages 13. The side plates13 being mounted on the shaft 21 for movement relative thereto,

5 will allow these traction discs 30 to bear upon the top walls of thepackages 13. By such an arrangement, as the packages 13 are movedrelative to the platform 10, they will by reason of their engagementwith the traction discs 3t), impart rotation to the plate 29, with theresult that the stamping units carried by the plate 29 will hesuccessively brought into printing or stamping engagement with respectto the top walls of the packages 13 as the latter are moved relative tothe platform 10.

Formed in the plate .29, substantially at right angles with respect toeach other and opening radially with respect to the long axis of theplate 29 are slots 33. The base of these slots 33 each provide a notch34. in each of these slots 33 is removably mounted a stamping unitindicated generally at 35. Each of these stamping units comprises aframe 36 bent substantially U-shaped to provide a base plate 37 andopposite parallelly extending arms 38. Secured to the outer end portionof the arms 38 in any suitable manner is an arcuate bar 39, the outerlong surface of which defines a degree of curvature which issubstantially of the same degree as that of the plate v29. By thisarrangement the outer surface of each of said bars 39 will be inthesarne plane as the peripheral edge tlof thexplate 29. Carried by thearms 38 of each stamping unit and extending thcrebetween is a shaft 41.On this shaft 41 are rotatably mounted in aligned relation withrespect'to each other, drums 42. Each drum 42 haszan operating disc-43associated therewith, with the peripheral edge thereof knurled as at -3to provide a frictional engagement between the fingers and the disc 4-3,whereby to facilitate rotation of the drum to move continuous ribbonliketype-bearing tapes 45 which extend around the drums 42 and over the bar39, as best shown in 'Figs. 3 and 4.

The baseplate 37 fixedly carries a U-shaped clip 46. Each of these arms38 of each stamping unit 35 has secured thereto an elongated guide bar47 which is substantially U-shaped in cross section. Each stamping unitis mounted in a slot '33 of the plate 29 with the adjacent edge portions48 of the plate defining such slot received in the channel of the guidebars 47, which bars may frictionally engage .the plate 29 at its edgeportions 48 during the movement of frictionally clamping the clip 46 tothe plate 29 adjacent its hub portion 49. Each clip 56 is substantiallyU-shaped to provide opposite fingers 50, the outer ends of which areclosely positioned with respect to each other to provide a mouth 51which receives the plate portion 29 adjacent the hub portion 4-9. Tofacilitate moving the clip into frictional engagement with the plate 29,the base edge 52 of the notch 34 is beveled in opposite directions. Bythis arrangement, when the mouth of the clip engages the beveled edgeportion 52, the fingers 54) will be slightly forced apart so.that whenthe clip is fully positioned upon the plate 29 adjacent its hub portion,such fingers will frictionally engage the plate 29 and firmly hold thestamping unit in place upon the plate 29. Should it be found necessary,the guide bars 47 likewise may be so arranged to frictionally engage theedge portions 48 of the plate 29.

To facilitate grasping each of the stamping units 35 for removal orreplacement purposes, there is provided in each of the traction discs 30adjacent each stamping unit, openings 53 of sufiicient diameter topermit the stamping unit to be grasped between the thumb'and at leasttwo fingers of thehand. When thus grasped, the stamping unit'may bequickly and easily removed from mounted position upon the plate 29. Insuch removal, it will be noted that no tools or other instruments arerequired.

To complete the invention, each of the bars 39 is provided in its topsurface with transverse grooves 54, in which grooves the ribbonliketype-bearing strips or tapes 4-5 are mounted.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that l have providedin a package coding device a simple arrangement for facilitating-themounting and removal of each stmaping unit without the use of tools andwithout the necessity of disassembling any part of the device. Eachstamping unit is retained in its respective slot 33 by the guide bars 47and by its respective spring clip 46.

The construction herein described is relatively simple, resulting ineconomical manufacture of the device. In the removal of each stampingunit, the movement of the same relative to the, plate is in a directionradially with respect to the long axis of the plate 29.

By employing traction wheels on opposite sides of and in spaced relationwith respect to the stamping unit carrying plate 29, the plate 29 isstabilized to avoid blurring or otherwise rendering illegible theprinting of the stamping units upon the packages.

The device may be formed of such material as will best serve thepurpose.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newand desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A package coding device comprising a circular stamping unitsupporting member, a traction disc fixed to and at one side of saidmember and adapted to engage a surface of a moving package to impartrotation to said member, said supporting member having a slot formedtherein and opening radially from the long axis of the member with thebase of the slot having a notch formed therein, a stamping unitpositioned in the slot and having a U-shaped spring clip insertedthrough said slot for frictional engagement with said member, andguiding channels on opposite sides of the stamping unit in whichfrictionally project the opposite edge portions of the supporting memberdefining said slot, said guiding channels and said clip cooperating withthe sides and the notched base of the slot forpreventing-lateral'displacement of said stamping unit from said memberdue to the rotational movement of the latter.

2. A package coding device comprising a circular stamping unitsupporting member, a traction disc fixed to and at one side of saidmember and adapted to engage a surface of a moving package to impartrotation to said member, said supporting member having slots formedtherein and opening radially from the long axis of the member with thebase of the slots having a notch formed therein, stamping unitspositioned in the slots and having a U-shaped spring clip insertedthrough said slots for frictional engagement with said member, andguiding channels on opposite sides of the stamping units into whichfrictionally project the opposite edge portions of the supporting memberdefining said slots, said guiding channels and said clip coperating withthe sides and the notched base of the slot for preventing lateraldisplacement of said stamping units from said member due to therotational movementof the latter, said stamp ing units being of such asize so as to have their bases in facial abutment with the bases of saidslots when the said clips and said guiding channels of each unit is inengagement with said member and cooperating together to prevent lateraldisplacement of said units from said member due to the rotationalmovement of the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,031,447 Hohenberger July 2, 1912 1,285,884 Yinger Nov. 26, 19181,506,985 Melind Sept. 2, 1924 1,562,697 Greer Nov. 24, 1925 1,668,918Lotz May 8, 1928 2,634,676 McKay Apr. 14, 1953 2,716,379 Pitt Aug. 30,1955

